BMW R 1300 GS

The BMW R 1300 GS has quite a challenge lined up for itself - to fill the shoes of its beloved predecessor, the BMW R 1250 GS. That motorcycle was loved and lapped up by people for the all-round ability that it brought to the table. It was easy to ride as well, which explains why people of all ages swore by it. With the R 1300 GS, BMW has made an advanced, accessible (in terms of size), and more capable adventure bike. Does the R 1300 GS have what it takes to sway more people towards it? We’ve put it through a comprehensive road test to find out.

BMW seems to have clearly adopted the philosophy of leaner and meaner when it comes to designing the R 1300 GS. The predecessor’s visual bulk is absent in the new bike and I think that’s a good thing. The new bike’s lines, be it on the beak, fuel tank, or the subframe are sharp and sporty. I don’t think I’d ever say GS and sporty in the same sentence, but here we are. What I must say is that the bike looks bigger and more proportionate than what the pictures suggest. It may not be as large as the R 1250 GS but it certainly commands road presence.

Speaking of, our test bike was a moving attention magnet wherever it went, and that’s down to the breathtakingly beautiful green colour. The sheen, the way the sunlight glints off the surface, and the way the gold rims contrast with the green colour makes it a sight to behold. The Option 719 Tramuntana, as it is officially called, is hands down the best colour option on the R 1300 GS.

As for the quality and finish levels, there are no complaints. The way the panels have been put together, tactility of the switchgear, and the crispness of the colour TFT display is top shelf. Adding to the sense of premium quality are features like the electrically adjustable windscreen and the machined hand levers, gear shifter, and rear brake lever.

The rider’s perch of the R 1300 GS is like a cosseting sofa that enables one to sit for long hours without any issues. The seat, in fact, is wide, roomy, and perfectly cushioned. Even the ergonomics are comfortable for my 5ft 11inch frame. But what I really appreciated is the electrically adjustable windscreen and the other aero bits around it that form a cocoon to shield the rider from windblast at high speeds.

The star of the R 1300 GS show is, undoubtedly, the new 1,300cc, liquid-cooled, boxer twin engine. It makes 145bhp and 149Nm, which is higher than the last engine’s numbers. This engine is paired with a six-speed gearbox. When you proceed to fire up the big twin, it wakes up with a little drama. The firing up of the cylinders is accompanied by a rocking motion of the bike, a result of the perpendicular orientation of the crank with respect to the bike. It’s a boxer twin characteristic that I like. But get rolling, and you begin to notice the changed demeanour of the 1,300 versus the 1250.

This new engine feels markedly sportier and quicker in delivering its power than the older engine. In Dynamic mode, which is where I’d left the engine for most of the ride, the bike felt alive and how! The responsiveness, accompanied with rapid acceleration, gets this big ADV to some serious speeds in no time. I love this new found eagerness that BMW has injected into the flagship GS, with a nice, thrummy exhaust note in the mix. It makes the bike more capable of leaving you entertained, if and when an open road presents itself.

That, however, isn’t at the cost of tractability. Moving to Eco mode softens the power delivery significantly and makes riding the bike in congested city traffic an absolute peach. Even the heat management is incredibly good for a big engine. To me, it is the incredible ability of the engine to deal with a wide spectrum of demands that Indian roads throw, without breaking a sweat that gives me the confidence to ride this big GS daily.

Adding another layer of confidence is the suspension’s ability to soak up the civic apathy that we are forced to accept as a decent road. From small undulations to big potholes, there’s nary a bump that gets this big GS rattled. And then there are the anti-dive properties of the Telelever Evo suspension that keeps the bike stable even under hard braking situations. The suspension is one of the strongest points about the bike, but that’s not all. Even the handling is surprisingly easy and predictable for a big ADV.

It barely takes any effort to steer the bike through traffic or get it to go around corners. But the biggest highlight is the beautiful sense of balance that the R 1300 GS offers. Whether it is at low speeds, high triple digits, or even when riding down trails, there’s a beautiful sense of composure and control. This friendliness and ease of use is one of the reasons why the GS was, and even in its current form, remains, a crowd favourite.

The R 1300 GS is very well kitted out with all the features you’d expect from a top-tier ADV. There are all LED lights, crisp TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, and more. There are three ride modes on offer- Eco, Dynamic, and Enduro. One can also opt for add-ons such as electronically adjustable suspension.

This test bike is also kitted with BMW’s radar-based assist systems. It includes adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection. However, it must be said that the mirrors on the bike are comically small, perhaps the size seen on BMW street bikes, which ultimately causes a blindspot situation. Nevertheless, radar-based assist systems or anything that enhances the safety of riders is always welcome.

The BMW R 1300 GS is pretty fuel efficient for the size of its engine. We saw the bike return 17kmpl on the highway, while sitting at a fast pace. This figure could improve if the pace drops. The fuel economy is impressive in the city as well, and we saw the fuel economy figure sit between 14-16kmpl.

This brings us to the question of whether you must splurge your money on the new R 1300 GS. If you are the one thinking from the brain, rather than the heart, then this bike is a…err…no brainer!

The decades of knowledge and experience that BMW has garnered with the multiple generations of the GS that they’ve produced, culminates into the positives of the R 1300 GS. It's a supremely capable mile muncher that is ready for a cross-country road trip even before the idea germinates in your brain. And you could daily it, if you will, without any complaints from the bike. It’s this ultimate, go-anywhere ability that you pay for. And I'd say it is money well spent.

Images by Kaustubh Gandhi